Reagan Airport (DCA)

Yes, that is the title of my book, it is also my status after two months in Colorado. If you have been reading the blog, from a photographers view, it was not the ideal trip, the haze thing which I have noted ad nauseam. It was an interesting and for the most part, an enjoyable journey if you exclude the terrifying drives on the narrow mountain dirt roads without guard rails. In any case, United Airlines provided an incident free flight, arriving only 20 minutes behind schedule. My son picked me up from the airport and the drive past the monuments on George Washington Parkway reminded me what I love so much about my home town, it’s beautiful.  

There are the big monuments of course, and then there are the little gems, like the Navy Merchant Marine Memorial in Lady Bird Park and the Albert Einstein statue on Constitution Avenue. 

Then there is the little known statue of George Mason in East Potomac Park, not far from the Jefferson Memorial. This is an odd study. He’s is seated on a bench with his hat and cane to one side, book in hand, as if taking a break from reading and a couple of books on the other side. Looking at his face, his sardonic expression reminds me a little of Jack Benny.

Another lesser appreciated venue is the Bartholdi Fountain (c. 1878 ) near the National Botanical Gardens next to the Capitol. The Fountain of Light and Water” by sculpture Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi is cast-iron, painted to look like bronze, weighs more than 15 tons and is 30 ft. high surrounded by a beautiful garden. Bartholdi later created the Statue of Liberty, dedicated in 1886. That’s the conservatory of the National Botanical Garden in the background.

This final piece, men on an unemployment line, is part of the FDR Memorial near the National Mall. This secluded memorial on Ohio Drive is more a park and has several features including the main statue of FDR with his dog and a several smaller studies.

When I was working on my book I went about town looking at statues of smaller presence, many of which are unknown. I’m trying to decide if I have the energy to seek out some of them and do another D.C. series. I’m 4 days back from the Colorado trip, mostly recovered and time- zone adjusted, so I’m giving it some thought. 

Fall is near, enjoy the waning days of summer.